The Race For Life Raid
by StoryGal85
Summary: To keep valuable information out of the enemy's hands Troy must make an unthinkable sacrifice.


Hitch stared down the barrel of the Lugar pistol and felt his breath catch in his throat. He had faced death many times but never so literally. The German holding the gun shifted a bit and Hitch swallowed hard, if the German was going to shoot he wished it would be quick. Death would be preferable to this eternal waiting, not knowing when the hammer stroke would fall.

Sergeant Troy watched intently the German guard covering Hitch. He knew that if he pulled the trigger his young driver would be dead. Death was an accepted part of life for the Rat Patrol but whenever one of the team was faced with it Troy wished that he were the one in danger instead. He hid his emotions from the other members of the team with gruff orders and nonchalance, but inside he prayed that nothing would go wrong.

Tully glared at the guard with his gun on Hitch. Over the few months the he and the young blonde had been together in the Rat Patrol they had become friends. The redhead from Kentucky was fiercely protective of all that he deemed his, and Hitch was his friend.

Jack Moffitt looked around furtively in an effort to locate a way out. None presented itself. The tall Englishman sighed in desperation. Why? Why Hitch? As the youngest member of their group everyone kept an eye out for the young man. Even though he was new to this group Moffitt had developed a strong attachment to everyone, if only there was some way

he could trade places with Hitch, but the 'Jerries' had decided that Hitch was expendable and the two Sergeants were not.

"Achtung!" The German corporal barked and the two "Kraut" privates snapped to attention. Captain Dietrich walked into the room with his hands clasped behind him. After returning his men's salutes he turned to Troy.

"Well, well, Sergeant," he began with a smile. "Once again I have the Rat Patrol in my grasp." Dietrich turned and began walking up and down in front of his prisoners. "It has come to my attention that you know the names of several underground and French resistance. If you should choose to part with this information I will allow you and your men to go free. If you don't , I will be forced to take more drastic measures."

"Like what?" Troy asked, "are you going to shoot us? Pick us off one by one until someone talks? Well it won't work. My men won't talk and neither will I." Troy said thinking of all the lives that would be lost if the Germans knew the names of the underground. There was no way he was going to tell Dietrich. Even if it meant the deaths of all his men. 4 lives was a much smaller price to pay than the hundreds if the underground was exposed.

"Very well," Dietrich said almost sadly. He motioned off to the side and two guards grabbed Hitch from either side and roughly threw him into a chair, holding him down. Dietrich motioned again and this time a white coated medic came in with a syringe of viscous blue liquid.

"What are you doing?" Troy asked the German captain, worriedly. Dietrich smiled.

"Drastic measures, Sergeant, drastic measures."

The medic moved toward Hitch who tried to fight but the two guards held him firmly. A small groan came from Hitch as the needle penetrated his skin. A few seconds later the medic stepped back and the guards let Hitch go. He struggled to stand and looked over at Troy with a confused look on his face. He tried to take a step but he couldn't make his feet move. Tully jumped forward just in time to catch Hitch before he hit the ground.

"He's unconscious, Sir." Tully told Troy as he laid his friend on the ground, Hitch's head in his lap.

"What was in that syringe?" Troy asked with a feral look on his face.

"Haugshlitz. A very potent poison that is always fatal. But it works very slowly and there is an antidote. I think a few hours when you are sick of listening to your man scream and cry in pain you will give me what I want." Dietrich frowned, "The stakes are higher now, Sergeant."

* * * * * * * * *

Troy sighed and looked over at the small cot they had laid Hitch on. Tully was sitting beside it where he had been ever since they had been brought in here. So far the young man was still unconscious, almost comatose and Troy was worried. There was however nothing he could do. If he exposed even one of the underground contacts, countless lives would be placed in the balance. That was not an option.

"Troy!" Moffitt called as he raced across the cell to Hitch's cot where the young man was tossing and turning, covered in sweat. Troy came over and stared down at Hitch's face. It was contorted in pain. Low moans escaped the young man as the poison began to set in. Troy closed his eyes and slammed his fist into the wall. According to Dietrich it was only going to get worse from here.

* * * * * *

"Once again, Sergeant. Tell me the names of the underground leaders!" Dietrich said as he slammed his hand down on the desk in front of Sergeant Troy. Troy looked down at the ground but remained silent. Dietrich's eyes narrowed. "By not giving me the information I ask for, you are sentencing your man to a horrible death." Dietrich said almost sadly.

"Then let it be on your head, Captain." Troy said in a low voice. "You have killed many men in battle I'm sure. But have you ever murdered a kid, Dietrich?"

Troy asked with sorrow in his voice. "Hitch is 20 years old, Captain. He's got his whole life in front of him…. Or at least he did…" Troy let his sentence hang in the tense silence. Dietrich paced uncomfortably for a second then he whirled around to face Troy.

"Do you think I get any pleasure out of this, Sergeant? Do you think putting people to death is something I enjoy?" Dietrich asked desperately.

Troy looked the German officer up and down. "No, Captain, I don't. But Hitch is still dying."

Dietrich closed his eyes sighed. "Sergeant, if I do not have the information from you about the underground, then the SS will be put in charge. I am doing you a favor by keeping you here."

"Some favor, what about Hitch?" Troy asked.

Dietrich sighed again. "I have my orders, Sergeant." Dietrich motioned to the guard who escorted Troy from the room.

* * * * * * *

The sound of agonized screams greeted Troy when he got back to the cell they were being held in. Moffitt and Tully struggled to hold Hitch down as he writhed in pain. Troy rushed to the young man's side and grabbed his hand. "He's hallucinating, Troy." Moffitt said.

"Come on Hitch!" Troy yelled, squeezing the young man's hand tightly. "You can beat this. You have to fight it!"

Slowly as the man talked, Hitch began to calm down. After a few minutes he opened his eyes. "Sarge?" he asked weakly.

"Yeah Hitch, we're all here."

Hitch groaned and closed his eyes. "What was in that syringe?"

"Haugshlitz." Moffitt answered quietly.

"We're going to get you through this, Hitch. Your not going to die, you hear me?" Tully asked.

Hitch formed a smile. "I'll do my best not to…" His voice trailed off as he slipped into unconscious once more. "We have to get that antidote!" Troy said fiercely.

"Troy!" Moffitt said as he slowly stood. "I've got a plan."

* * * * * *

The two German guards assigned looked at each other in shock then raced for the prison doors. The sounds of a fight were echoing down the hall from the prison cells. Opening them they found Moffitt pinning Troy to the ground with his hands around his throat.

"You can't just sit there and let him die!" Moffitt shouted tightening his grip.

"What….do you……expect me to do!? Troy gasped out. "Betray the underground?!?!"

Before Moffitt could answer the guards had the door unlocked and were trying to pull the two sergeants apart. They were under strict orders from Captain Dietrich not to let any harm come to any of the prisoners until one of them talked. Before they could pry the two soldiers apart they were attacked from behind as Tully knocked them both unconscious with a leg from one of the cots.

"Alright, Tully, you stay here with Hitch. Moffitt and I will go get that antidote." Troy said handing Tully one of the guard's knives. He and Moffitt both took their pistols and began their cautious ascent to the second floor where they has seen Dietrich place the antidote in the safe.

Tully stood vigil over his unconscious friend as the minutes slowly passed by. After 15 minutes the thought struck him that Hitch had not made a sound. Worried he placed his fingers on the young man's neck. His worst fears were realized in that moment. There was no pulse!

Troy and Moffitt peeked around the edge of the door jam into the room that housed the safe. Inside were Dietrich and one other man. Looking at Moffitt, Troy nodded his head and the two men rushed into the room, guns blazing. The unfortunate guard went down but Dietrich they kept alive.

"Come on, Captain. If you want to live you'll open that safe," Troy said with his gun pointed at the German officer.

"And if I refuse?"

"That will be the last thing you ever do." Moffitt answered.

Dietrich smiled and then slowly walked over to the safe and opened it.

"There you are, Sergeant. I hope you appreciate the offer." Troy nodded then grabbed the antidote and ran back to the cell.

* * * * * * *

Tully tried to remember all he had been taught about CPR. 3 compressions then a breath. But even with all his efforts, Hitch was still not responding. The sound of feet pounding down the stairs took Tully's mind off his grim task. To his relief it was Troy and Moffitt with the antidote. After administering the antidote all three men's eyes were fixed on the young man. When there was no response Tully jumped up and began CPR once more. Hitch's body jerked with the force of Tully's frantic blows, but there was no sign of life. After a few minutes Troy sadly put his hand on Tully's shoulder. "Tully…" No answer. "Tully!"

Slowly the redhead turned to face Troy with tears in his eyes and a lost look on his face.

Troy sighed and looked down, fighting back tears of his own. "He's gone."

"I can't believe it." Moffitt said quietly.

"Sergeant Troy!" came Dietrich's voice from behind the three men. Slowly they turned to face him. "I've brought the doctor." Dietrich said.

"I'm afraid he's too late…" Troy started to say but was cut off by the doctor rushing past him to Hitch's pale from.

"No, no, Sergeant," The doctor said as he turned Hitch on to his side. "The young man's lungs are full of liquid. He is not dead." With this the doctor slammed his fist into Hitch's back. Tully started to protest but just then Hitch began to cough and sputter. Dark liquid mixed with blood came out of Hitch's mouth as he desperately tried to catch his breath. But he was alive!

Troy turned to thank Dietrich but the Captain was gone and there were no guards. Troy smiled to himself and turned once again to face Hitch.

* * * * * * * *

6 days later at the infirmary Allied base: North Africa.

"So our wounded hero is back with his old outfit, ready once again to hit the road and harass the Germans," Moffitt said as Hitch walked out of the Red Cross tent and jumped into the jeep.

"And not a moment to soon," Hitch said with a grimace. "That nurse is the ugliest, bossiest…"

"Private Hitchcock!" A grating voice came from inside the tent. Hitch's face paled and he gunned the engine to get away.

Moffitt and Tully laughed and followed. Once again the Rat Patrol had come through a mission without casualties. And for that Troy thanked the Lord.

THE ENDh_hhiihihiggghh_


End file.
